Curtain roller



May 3, 1932.l

VK. A. BENZEE CURTAIN ROLLER Filed Jan. 5; 1931 lill-- .-.ill Islall.,

mg/1 g Patented May 3, 1932 UNITED STATES KARL A. BENZEE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO CURTAIN ROLLER ,Application led January 5, 1931. Serial No. 506,599.

My invention has for its object to provide a curtain roller which may support curtains for windows and the like. My invention particularly provides a curtain roller which may be readily adjusted by operation of the curtain roller to any degree of rotation there-r by locating the curtain sheeting at any desired level with respect to the window. The invention also provides a curtain roller i0 which may be usedy in suc-h places where the curtain sheeting and curtain roller are subjected to almost constant use and continual wear, such as in railway cars, motor busses, and public conveyances necessitating frequent repairs, over-hauling and adjusting in order to maintain the curtain and curtain roller in a usable condition. A curtain roller containing the features of my invention may be easily removed from its socket, repaired or adjusted, andreplaced in its socket in a comparatively short time thereby eliminating a great part of the expense and time which has heretofore burdened the maintenance of such curtain and curtain roller.

The invention may be contained in curtain rollers that vary in their details of construc-y tion and to illustrate a particular application of the invention I have selected an improved curtain roller as an example of the construction containing my invention and shall describe it hereinafter. The curtain roller selected is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view ofthe curtain roller. Fig. 2 illustratesa longitudinal section of one end of the curtain roller showing the counter balancing spring. Fig. 3 illustrates a longitudinal section of the opposite end of the curtain roller. Fig. 4 il- 0 lustrates a view of a section taken on the plane of the line 4 4 indicated in Fig. 3.

A curtain roller partaking of the features of my invention has an auxiliary ratchet d which is frictionally engaged by other parts a of the roller to off-set the torsionalforce of the main counter balancing spring of the curtain roller when Vthe auxiliary ratchet is engaged by a dog located on the supporting frame of the roller. Thus, the curtain sheeto ing attached to the roller maybe located at any desired level of the window after the ratchet has been engaged by the dog. The frlctional engagement of the parts of the roller with the auxiliaryl ratchet also prevents the roller from rotating rapidly upward to tear or injure the curtain sheeting when the dog controlling the counter balancing spring does not make contact with its cog or slips from contact with the cog in lowering or raising the curtain sheeting.

Curtains and curtain rollers which are located in public places are subject to constant abuse and wear necessitating repeated repairs and adjustments. Such curtain rollers have been heretofore of uniform length having a central shaft about which the roller rotates,` the length of the shaft being slightlyadj ustable by means of set screws or nuts. The adjustments of the central shaft as to length are made usually through conjecture or by trial and error indulged in by themechanic repairing or installing the roller. By the use of my invention, this trial and error method is eliminated andthe consequent saving of time is eected in the maintenance of curtains in a workable condition.

The curtain roller shown for the purpose of illustration is made up of two units, the main shell unit 1, and an end shell unit 2. The unit l surrounds and supports within itself a counter balancing spring 3 and a shaft 4 which motivates the curtain roller after a manner well known in the art. The end shell unit 2 is adapted to move telescopically within one end of the main shell unit '1 and supports within itself a spindle 8. p

The shaft 4 is supported within the shell 1 by means of a block 9 and a disc 10. The

block 9 is firmly secured within the shell 1 by means of inwardly punched portions 1l of the shell 1. The block 9 has a central' opening 12 adapted to rotatably support onev end of the shaft 4. The disc 10 may be suitably sealed about its edge portions 13 to the shell 1 which thereby closes the interior of the shell 1 and seals it against the Vinvasion of dust particles and the like. The disc 10 has a suitable central opening 15 in which the end of the shaft 4 is rotatably'supported. The shaft 4 has flattened end portions 17 cated in the shell, one of the said pair of elements adapted to yieldingly resist endwise movement of the spindle, the other of the said pair or elastic elements adapted to press the block towards the ratchet irrespective of the endwise movement of the spindle relative to the shell.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specication.

KARL A. BENZEE. 

